What was Sai Baba's deeper spiritual philosophy regarding the significance of food itself?

Sai Baba's philosophy elevated food beyond mere physical sustenance, viewing it as a manifestation of the divine. Chapter 32 explains that during the intense hunger of midday, 'the realization of food as Brahman arises in the mind.' This implies that food itself is a pathway to realizing the ultimate reality. His teaching was to 'first satisfy the soul of the self' before seeking God. This concept is further crystallized in the profound statement also found in Chapter 32: 'Food and the eater are Vishnu's form.' This perspective dissolves the distinction between the worldly act of eating and the sacred quest for spiritual realization.